Palin, a former vice presidential nominee, resigned midway through her first term as Alaska's governor last year. She's seen as a potential 2012 presidential contender, though the Republican Murkowski has said she wouldn't support a Palin run.

Murkowski and Palin have tangled politically, and Murkowski says the two don't have much of a relationship. However, she says she's still Palin's senator and will "work hard to represent her, too."